Invicta Cetiosaur

[Pangolinmoth]

My first try. Thought it turned out ok.

[stoneage]

Not bad, pretty decent.

[tetonbabydoll]

Hey, he got the paint to stick to an invicta, that's a resounding success by any standard.

[Pangolinmoth]

I used acrylic, Teton, how do keep the paint so thin? I feel like I lost alot of detail due to thick paint issues. Do you airbrush? Give me tips!

[tetonbabydoll]

I once did a step by step repaint of the Papo spino. The posts should be there, but the pics I know are gone. You can thin acryl with water. The trick really is to apply the paint in several thin layers. It will take at least 2-3 coats.

So. First I choose a neutral kind of color as a base coat, and apply a thin coat of that. Let it dry for an hour. Then apply another thin--thin--coat of the same color. Then I choose an over all color for the figure and paint the whole thing with one coat of that.

Then, I either find a lighter color that complements, or lighten a cap of the body color. Take the brush, and dip it into the color, just the tip, or maybe half way. Wipe the brush off on some scrap paper, until there is very very little paint on the bristles. Then lightly brush this lighter color over the entire figure. This technique is called dry brushing. It allows the paint to stick to raised detail, highlighting it while the recessed areas remain the darker base or body colors. This will take time and practice. You can apply light layers over each other, to vary the color, adding depth, and blend edges.

Now, I usually choose a color, usually dark, for the upper half of the body. Paint this in almost to where you want the color to stop, then using a disposable brush, scrub an almost dry brush along the edge, fading the dark color down into the light. A little more dry brush with the belly color over the very edge will help blend it. Then as before, get t lighter color, and drybrush it over the dark top half. The same for the face.

Now, decide on which if any markings you want, and apply those. I also paint the eyes yellow, and the inside of the mouth a deep mauve-ish color. Then, paint the tonge a lighter pink. I also use a fleshtone to paint the heek muscles.Then, use a toothpick, and paint a black pupil in the eyes, and inside the nose and ears. Now, I use a stone color, or maybe desert sand, something like that, and paint the toes, and claws. I use a custom made yellow ivory color to paint the teeth. Beaks. Horns. All that. With horns etc, you can then go back and drybrush white or off-white on them to bring out those details.

Now, just let the whole thing dry overnight. The colors darken and change a bit while they dry and cure. Make any changes after that. Maybe look at it in the sun first, colors always look brighter in the sun. Finally I take Testors spray dullcoat, and spray the whole thing. Once that is dry, I go back with a semi-gloss clear coat and apply it to the eyes, nose, mouth, and horns, plates, beaks, claws, etc.

Of course, this is general. Some species will have extra details, like stego plates, but the procedure is all the same. See? Easy Peasy.

This is just how I do it, there are many different techniques out there, and as yu practice, you will develop your own.

[Meso-Cenozoic]

Pango, when I painted my Invicta Diplo, I used alot of matte finish medium (also keeps the shine down and helps to make it stick a little better), and water to my acrylics. Also, I think Kevin will agree, the main thing is to use many very thin coats as apposed to one heavy coat. This way you can control how much build-up you want on the figure.

Anyway, I think your Ceti looks pretty cool! I'd like to see him in natural light too, so to see your true colors you used better.

Also have to second what Kevin said -- You got paint to stick to an Invicta! BRAVO!! ;D

[Meso-Cenozoic]

Ahhh, Kevin, we must have posted at the same time! I didn't see your post when I was typing! ;D

[tetonbabydoll]

I am a slow two fingered typer, so the post took me a while. And, explaining my process is hard. I sorta just feel my way. But, there are certain steps I use all the time.

[Pangolinmoth]

Thanks for tips, might give him a thinner bath and try again.

[tetonbabydoll]

You shouldn't need thinner. Just run him under water and rub a sponge. If it is invicta, it should pretty much flake off. I use acryl for them all because the enamel does not dry well on the pvc. It stayed tacky for a year plus on the Papo trike. Now, on the invictas, enamel drys, but does not hold any better than the acryl did. Especially on those smooth shiny marine reptiles. I am not even gonna bother painting the icthyo or liop.

"Course, I also promised Blackdanter I wouldn't. Sigh

[[][][]cordylus[][][]]

I can't really tell if it looks good or not, as the picture light looks... odd...

[Tyrannax]

The picture quality is good enough for me to conclude it is a very good first attempt.

[tetonbabydoll]

Apr 18, 2009 3:02:18 GMT [][][]cordylus[][][] said:

I can't really tell if it looks good or not, as the picture light looks... odd...

What does light have to do with it. Do you like the way the dino looks? I think it is very good. Like the spots. Bright light does not always make for good art, as some pics in another thread certainly show.

[blackdanter]

Apr 18, 2009 0:29:16 GMT @tetonbabydoll said:

You shouldn't need thinner. Just run him under water and rub a sponge. If it is invicta, it should pretty much flake off. I use acryl for them all because the enamel does not dry well on the pvc. It stayed tacky for a year plus on the Papo trike. Now, on the invictas, enamel drys, but does not hold any better than the acryl did. Especially on those smooth shiny marine reptiles. I am not even gonna bother painting the icthyo or liop.

"Course, I also promised Blackdanter I wouldn't. Sigh

Blackdanter IS watching .......................